Israel-Hamas war updates : Israel conducts airstrikes near damascus

Syrian state media reported that Israeli airstrikes caused “material damage” to targets near Damascus early on Friday. According to SANA, the official news agency, the attack occurred around 2:25 a.m., originating from the direction of the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.

While the military source did not specify the targets, it claimed that Syrian air defences successfully intercepted most of the Israeli missiles. However, military analysts have often questioned Syria’s declared ability to thwart Israeli strikes.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in the UK, indicated that the strikes on Friday hit sites affiliated with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terror group.

This recent incident follows Israeli Air Force jets striking terrorist infrastructure in Syria last Saturday in response to projectiles launched towards the Israeli Golan Heights. The IDF holds the Syrian regime responsible for any terrorist activity originating from its territory, emphasising a severe response to any attempt to attack Israel.

Notably, the United States also carried out strikes on two Iranian-linked sites in Syria on Sunday, responding to recent attacks on American forces. This marked the third such action by the U.S. military in less than three weeks, targeting locations tied to Iran. The attacks come in response to incidents where Iranian-backed proxies wounded dozens of American troops in the Middle East since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7.